Every bride wants to make a personal statement and a unique and classy wedding invitation sets the tone for the big day. With handmade paper it is possible to create wedding invitation cards which match, not only the colors and theme of the wedding, but any budget.
Tips for Handmade Wedding Paper
You can buy handmade paper, find a paper maker to fashion the paper to your specifications or try your hand at making your own paper. To make a high quality paper, recycle only the white parts of discarded bond paper (letters, photocopies, bills). Use an A5 size frame for papermaking so that the whole card has the natural deckle edge.
Traditional elegant wedding invitations are white or off-white. For an off-white vintage look the paper can be colored with tea or coffee.
Interest can be added to the paper by:
- adding gold or silver thread to the paper pulp. Cut the thread into sections of about 1 inch (2.5cm) in length (lurex used by knitters works well).
- adding bits of lace and/or other lightweight fabric to the paper pulp. For a vintage look color the pulp with tea and add the off-white lace used for soft furnishings (which looks like crochet work). Cut the lace up in pieces and tease out before adding to the pulp. Cheat a bit - keep one motif per card whole and press into the sheet of paper as it comes out of the vat.
- embedding a lacy pattern into the paper. Turn the wet paper out onto a piece of fabric with a coarse lacy pattern (for example the bottom part of lace curtains or some of the textured fabrics used for soft furnishings).
- adding dried flowers and leaves which match the wedding colors. This creates a whimsical look for a spring-themed wedding. The color of some flowers bleeds out into the water so experiment first.
Colored Wedding Invitations
A more modern trend is to send invitations in the colors chosen for the wedding theme.
Handmade paper in any colour can be made by adding fabric dyes to the pulp. As the color of the dry paper is always lighter than the wet pulp, some testing is needed to find the exact amount of dye to add.
Any of the textures described above, as well as threads of complementary of different colours, can be added to colored paper. An interesting two-tone speckled effect can also be achieved by using bits of darker colored craft board as described in the article on how to color and texture handmade paper.
More Ideas to Personalize Invitations
Different decorations and presentations provide endless creative possibilities to further personalize your wedding invitations. The wording for handmade paper cards is usually printed on a separate sheet of rice paper or something similar and pasted into the card or tied in with a ribbon. Choose a typeface which matches the theme of the wedding.
The outside of the card can be plain or decorated. Ideas for decorating include a cut-out in the shape of a heart, a sprig of dried flowers or a sheaf of wheat. The bride and groom's initials can be the decoration, stamped on and embossed with gold or written in calligraphy.
The card need also not be in the usual greeting card format. It can be rolled up and tied with a ribbon or folded in different ways. An A4 sheet can be folded in three with the third fold overlapping in the centre so that the one sheet forms the invitation as well as the envelope.
Wedding Invitation Envelopes and Other Wedding Stationary
The same handmade paper, or possibly paper of a contrasting texture or color, can be used to make the envelopes for the invitations. For an elegant touch close the envelope with old-fashioned sealing wax in gold, stamped with the bride and groom's initials.
The wedding program cover, boxes or bags for wedding favours as well as thank you cards can all be made with the same paper. In this way the theme is carried through for all the wedding stationary.
Frieda Paton - A published nurse author, Frieda has variety in her life being a part-time nurse, business owner and craft producer.
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